Living Single

Although at other times I make sure to get plenty of time alone. I wouldn't be that sure of how to celebrate Thanksgiving alone, although I know of some people who work serving the homeless on Thanksgiving. The holidays are one of the few times I see some of my extended family, which is why I'd be reluctant to do it solo.

The long 4 day Thanksgiving weekend is something I look forward to every year - time off from work, building a fire that lasts all day, good books that I have been saving, rented movies that I missed when they were in the theatre. And I usually tackle some home project that I have been putting off. I love being at home during the holidays. Happy Thanksgiving everybody.

I am an introvert (possible Aspergers) who comes from a large family. I dreaded holidays growing up because of all the people that would gather and there was no place to hide from them. Any attempt to get away and I was immediately found out and dragged back into the thick of things. No one understood my need to be alone and often berated me for "being mean and rude."

It's only been the last 10 of my 53 years that I finally decided I could spend my time the way I always wanted - alone. I've never married but was always pressured into being with family for the holidays and resented it. Now I'm enjoying the holidays as a break from all the necessary interaction with others that comes from every day life. It's my time to truly relax and recharge.

I spent Christmas alone once, and it was fabulous! I did talk to family and friends on the phone, though, while I was opening presents, so I'm not sure that counts as spending it totally alone or by myself. I like the idea of spending the whole T-giving weekend in a cabin in the woods by myself. Despite my affinity for alone time, I have never done anything like that. Perhaps the holidays is a good time to try something like that, like a self-exploration type of thing.

Christina

I've been surrounded by family since my accident 3 months ago. I'm finally ready to be on my own again, and my mom is leaving a week from Tuesday. My niece and a friend are here for Thanksgiving and my 800-sq-ft condo is a complete disaster. For Christmas I'm doing what I did last year--I'm spending the day at the animal shelter, visiting cats who would get no attention at all that day if it weren't for me. The cats were so needy and so grateful for the attention last year. It's been 3 months since I was able to do my volunteer duties at the shelter and I can't wait to go back. Spending Christmas with the most vulnerable homeless creatures is incredibly gratifying and it keeps me aware of the bounty I have in my own life.

Give me some solitary holidays! All solitary holidays, if possible! I really wish people would realize that (especially having just started a new job and having no vacation time accumulated) holidays are my only real "vacation" and there's nothing I hate worse than being bound to a schedule and a flock of people.

Having just survived Thanksgiving feeling like an escapee from a lunatic asylum, solitary holidays sound lovely. True introverts unite seperately in silence!

Give me some solitary holidays! All solitary holidays, if possible! I really wish people would realize that (especially having just started a new job and having no vacation time accumulated) holidays are my only real "vacation" and there's nothing I hate worse than being bound to a schedule and a flock of people.

Having just survived Thanksgiving feeling like an escapee from a lunatic asylum, solitary holidays sound lovely. True introverts unite seperately in silence!

I've spent most of my life trying to get solitude - which others call loneliness or isolation. Most of this is from all the crowding and fighting that comes with being part of a brood of offspring - which is why I am a single AND childfree advocate!

So, after years of it - except for living alone becoming increasingly unaffordable in an increasingly crowded and overpopulated world - I am learning to be more extroverted and want to seek out groups of friends, acquaintances and like-minded people.

*AND* I don't have to live with them or raise them or send them to school, haha!

It's another facet on the gem!

I have a very small family and I spend so much time alone anyway, I don't mind spending holidays with them. Though to me, it's a little anticlimatic when you live close to your immediate family and see them often because holidays don't really seem any different than other days. I actually wish I could spend my holidays with a lot more people. Sometimes, even though I'm pretty broke, I even wish I had more people to buy gifts for at Christmas.

I like the community events on holidays, really. When I was in high school, my favorite part of thanksgiving was the football game, even though I never really liked football. Now I like to participate in the annual fun run in my town on thanksgiving morning and it's just nice to see the community outside in the cold doing something fun together.